The Norwegian Air plane slowly came to a halt on the tarmac. It was just five o'clock in the afternoon and pitch dark. The plane doors opened and I got a taste of what was to await me over the next few days: relentless cold.
On the way to the accommodation, the driver said that it had only been light again during the day for about two weeks. "It was dark all day in December, that was depressing." So this was the infamous polar night.
Braving the cold
After a cold night with outside temperatures of -25 degrees, the next day I was full of anticipation and enthusiasm about the reason for my trip: the annual snow festival. Here, artists from all over the world toiled for days to carve beautiful figures out of snow.
I don't know what devil possessed me, but I decided to make my way to the sculpture exhibition site on foot. Thanks to my "onion look" with two pairs of pants and thermal soles in my winter boots, I made it through the thirty-minute walk through high snowdrifts. My glasses were frozen from breathing and I could only make out outlines. But I realized that there was a lot more going on in Kiruna than just an exhibition of snow sculptures.
The snow festival, which has existed since 1986, is a meeting place for young and old. Between the figures were tepees, which were also used by the indigenous people (the Sami) as shelter during hikes. Food was served in the tents or you could simply warm up with a drink. This also worked relatively well outside, as there were fire baskets everywhere and coffee was freshly brewed over an open fire.
I immediately noticed that special attention was paid to the children during the three days of the festival. An ice hockey rink was set up for the little ones, which was used diligently. Those less keen on sports could let off steam on an ice slide in the shape of a kite or try their luck at ice fishing. But no real fish bit here - as a reward, the kids could pull Haribo gummy bears out of the artificial pond. The advertising immediately comes to mind: Haribo makes children happy and adults too. This was certainly true in Kiruna.
One of the highlights was the reindeer race. It took place in a cordoned-off area right next to the sculptures. The participants were pulled by reindeer over a relatively short distance. It looked fun, but I suppose being pulled around by an animal weighing 300 kilos and constantly hoping that your colleague sticks to the rules and stops - that takes courage.
It is all the more extraordinary that an absolute beginner has won. Petra Palo Huuva is the woman of the hour. She competed for her company "Van And Pickup Equipment" and was still completely out of breath when she spoke to me. Huuva confirmed my suspicion that it was a very fast-paced ride to take with the animals. Will she take part again next year? "It's probably better to stop with a win at the peak of your career," she said with a smile.
The winners of the sculpture competition were more ambitious. The audience award went to a duo from Italy who chose a very well-known motif. "Masks" shows a smiling and a sad theater mask. This earned Pietro Germano and Federica Cavallin prize money totaling 10,000 Swedish kronor (the equivalent of around 880.00 euros). When asked, both confirmed that they will be back next year. The expert jury chose the artwork "Mediterreanean's Adrift" by Joan Pradell and Valentina Marotta, both also from the land of pizza and pasta.
My conclusion after almost eight hours in the cold and snow: it was worth it. I'm not just saying that because I kept all my toes despite the cold. The atmosphere in the city above the Arctic Circle is hard to describe. Cheering on the reindeer at the race, cheering on the winners of the sculpture competition, the sometimes pitying and amused look on the local's face when I finally got myself a cup of coffee after hours. (I had a red nose, while the rest of my face was slightly bluish). You should experience all of this once. Small spoiler: My day in the cold wasn't over yet. It continued in the evening with dog sledding at night. But that's material for another story.
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Sources:
Robert Gustafsson, representative of the Kiruna Snow Festival
Interviews with Petra Palo Huuva and Pietro Germano and Federica Cavallini on site
Homepage of the Kiruna Snowfestival
Photos and videos: Ingrid Müller
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